Ready To Stand
by Queentakesjack
Summary: "Ariel was cursed. All curses are broken by True Love's kiss. But, Ariel wasn't in love... Not really," Henry explained. Hook/Ariel (OC)ish. Also, Storybrooke Ariel/Storybrooke Prince Eric. Rated M for safety.
1. Fish Out Of Water

_**Ready To Stand**_

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**SUMMARY: "Ariel was cursed. All curses are broken by True Love's kiss. But, Ariel wasn't in love... Not really," Henry explained. Hook/Ariel (OC)ish**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own anyone, quite literally. Ariel's name belongs to Disney, and the Little Mermaid story belongs to Hans Christian Anderson. All other characters belong to Once Upon A Time. I own this concept, though. Well, my version of this concept?**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**I know what you're thinking, ANOTHER STORY? YOU STILL NEED TO UPDATE- I know, I know, give me a break, I'm a fangirl that likes to imagine more than she can write. I've been itching to do this story since I began watching Once Upon A Time, and this would be my first Canonish story on this account. **

**Also, I know the Hook/Ariel, or Little Mermaid story on here has been DONE TO DEATH, but, just give this one a change yeah? I haven't found one myself that I was particularly excited for, so hopefully writing one myself will kill that itch for a hook/ariel story. **

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**Chapter One:  
Fish Out of Water**

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Every day, except for Sundays, at exactly 12:45 in the afternoon, Granny's gets a visit from seven girls, the Fisher sisters. Sofia, Lynn, Adrian, Nixie, Brooke, Diana, and Betta Fisher, all daughters of Murdock Fisher, one of the most richest men of Storybrooke. Next to Mr. Gold, and Regina, of course. Everyone - and by everyone, I mean every _man -_ knows to keep away from Murdock's precious daughters.

There were a few daughters, like Sofia, Lynn, and Diana that Murdock did not have to worry about. Sofia was the eldest, most mature, and held the most responsibility of the group. In fact, she looked nothing like their late mother, and more like their father in personality and in appearances. Lynn was the second oldest, and was more invested in reading and education than anything else. Diana wasn't one of the oldest, but the second youngest, but like Lynn, she was more invested in herself than anything else that Murdock had to worry about her.

The others, however, were much different. Adrian was the third oldest, and had more than once made a house party in their manor during their fathers absence. Nixie, just two years younger, had the attention span of a child on a sugar high. Brooke was just the same as her older sister, Nixie, but with her, Murdock had to worry more about the boys that she seemed to be around constantly. But everyone knows in Storybrooke that no one gave Murdock more of a hard time than his youngest daughter, Betta.

A few years after the death of their mother, Betta became mute, with no medical reason. Dr. Whale had examined her throat, had her get several ultrasounds on her thyroid and larynx, and could not for the life of him found why she would suddenly become mute. Dr. Hopper had concluded that it was a subconscious decision made by Betta as a reaction to her mother dying. Deep down, though, Murdock never believed it.

Sheriff Graham was often met at the doorstep of the Fisher house with Betta at his side, either dirty from head to toe, or drenched in water.

That much Emma Swan knew about the Fisher family, who mostly kept to themselves. So this Saturday, without fail, the band of sisters came to Granny's and took their usual seat at the biggest table in the restaurant. She watched as Ruby took their typical order, nothing new, and couldn't help but wonder why the Fisher family stood out amongst everyone else in Storybrooke.

Henry noticed her looking and furrowed his eyebrows, "What're you looking at?"

Emma sighed and looked back down at her cocoa and sandwich, "Tell me about the Fisher family, Henry. I only know what I've been told by Graham and Mary Margaret."

Henry shrugged and stuck his finger in the whip cream of his own cocoa, "Why so interested?"

"Well, I'm sheriff now... Best know everyone in the town," she took a sip and licked off the cream on her lip as Henry licked off the cream off his finger.

"Uh, well, they're rich. Not as rich as Mr. Gold, but they're the only people in town that has their own business that Mr. Gold _doesn't _own."

At this, Emma raised an eyebrow, "Really? I thought Gold pretty much owned the town?"

Henry sighed, "Well he does," he bit into his tuna fish melt, "but he doesn't own Fisher Fishing Cooperation. That's entirely owned by the Fisher family." He swallowed the bite and wiped his mouth, looking at his birth mother expectedly.

"You don't say," Emma was still interested in this family she knew so little about, but evidently was a big influence in the small town. She glanced back at the girls as they chatted... Well, six of them chatted. "So I'm guessing they're the ones that own most of the boats at the harbour?"

"That's right," he nodded, taking a cautious sip of his drink. "Well, technically, Murdock owns them... If he dies, or retires, it will all go to the oldest, Sofia."

"Sofia? Why not the wife?"

Henry made a face and put down his sandwich, as if he was in deep in thought, but something that wasn't related to this conversation. "No... Not exactly. It goes to Sofia, it has to. Mrs. Fisher is the second wife, it wouldn't make sense if it went to her."

Emma crossed her arms and furrowed her eyebrows, "Why do you say that?"

Her son's eyebrows shot up to his hairline as if it was obvious why he would say that, "Don't you see who they are? Widower father, seven daughters? A fishing company?"

Emma just stared at him, obviously not catching on.

Henry sighed exhaustingly, "They're Ariel and her sisters! Don't you see? Six older sisters, and the youngest sister has red hair. Their father is King Triton, king of Atlantica. They're mermaids. That's why they own a fishing company."

"Mermaids," Emma repeated skeptically, with a raised brow. "Don't mermaids have fins and live in water?"

Henry sighed as if he heard the dumbest thing in the world, "Of course. But mermaids don't exist in this world, because there is _no magic_. The same reason why Dr. Hopper isn't a cricket that can talk."

Her brows were still furrowed as he explained himself, but she nodding slowly anyway, "Right... But I don't remember Ariel having a step-mother."

He sat back, and looked a bit defeated, "that's what I'm trying to figure out. She doesn't fit in with the story."

"Or," Emma countered, leaning on her elbows, "they aren't mermaids, and are just a normal family."

Henry gave her a look, "There is no such thing as a normal family in Storybrooke."

"Right," Emma leaned back in her seat, and looked back at the group of girls. Her eyes were instantly on the smallest girl with the short, auburn layered pixie cut. Just a little longer and shaggier than Mary Margaret's. "So the youngest one is Ariel... I thought she didn't become mute until the witch stole her voice, but kissed the prince and got it back."

Henry made a face, "That's the disney version... The original story, the mermaid actually kills herself..."

Emma's brows shot up to her hairline as she took a sip of her drink, "That's a little morbid. Then shouldn't she be dead?"

He shook his head and reached into his bag and pulled out his book, and started to flip to the right story, "Not in this version," he pointed to a picture of a mermaid with long auburn hair, and a grey-green tail sitting on a rock looking at a pirate ship. "Ariel doesn't fall in love with a prince at first sight. She falls in love with humans in general."

Emma looked at the picture. Besides the length of the hair and obviously the tail, it did look a bit like Betta over there, but ever the skeptic, she didn't put two-and-two together.

"Ariel makes a deal with Rumpelstiltskin for a pair of legs, and he could have her voice. Then she gets captured by a band of pirates."

"So there is no 'you have to get a kiss in three days, or else'?"

Henry flipped to the next page, where the mermaid was talking to a shadowed man with a long nose and yellow-gold skin. "Ariel was cursed. All curses are broken by True Love's kiss. But, Ariel wasn't in love... Not really," Henry explained.

"What do you mean, 'not really'?"

"The pirate that captured her was Captain Hook... He's not the most truthful, or faithful of pirates..."

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**I know, it's short, but think of this as the prologue, yeah? The next chapter is much longer and more action. I will post Chapter Two when I'm done Chapter four, and so forth. For those of you who read my other stories, this story's chapters are much shorter than my original stories, so updates for this one would be easier to handle. **

**Also, once I figure out the castings for the characters, I will post them. **

**- STORY FACT OF THE DAY**

All the sister's names have a relation to the sea, water, ocean, lake, etc. Ariel's Storybrooke name is Betta, because I have a female Red Betta fish named Ariel. So, I thought it would be cute to name the character Ariel, Betta. :)


	2. That Little Mermaid

_**Ready To Stand**_

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**Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews! As promised, here's chapter two. Tell me your opinion of Ariel's first point of view. After writing the fourth chapter, I was starting to have second thoughts about it. I only wrote ariel, in Enchanted Forest, in first point of view. Yes or No? Tell me what you think! **

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**Chapter Two:  
That Little Mermaid**

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I gasped as I reached the surface of the water. The smell of salt was not as strong when you're above the water, but that's because I _lived _in salt water. I stretched my arms and began to swim over to the cluster of rocks that I usually hid behind.

Father never had to know that I did this every day.

Every day we did the same thing... Wake up, freshen up, eat, and walk through the kingdom under the water. After that, my sisters did their own thing. My father was far too busy to keep total tabs on me and where I swim off to. I had managed to ditch one of my father's servants that was watching me while I was 'collecting' seashells yards away from the castle.

Knowing Sebastian, it would be a good idea not to tell my father that he lost me, again, seeing as that would only get him into trouble. As much as I liked Sebastian...well, for the most part, I didn't need him. I could take care of myself... I was eighteen and perfectly able to fend for myself. With my hair, I attract so many sharks... And with all this swimming in far distances (the deepest depths of the ocean all the way to the shore next to the beach is a long swim, let me tell you!) my tail has become fit and muscular enough that I can actually smack a shark away and swim off. Not to mention this cluster of rocks was the safest place away from those pesky predators... They're big, bulky, and not at all flexible to swim around them.

Once I got to the cluster, I hauled my self up on a comfortable dip on one of the rocks, and leaned on my elbows, staring off where I could see the docks to the city. This was the most active areas I liked to sit and watch humans. I watched them walk...watched them talk... watched them lay in the sun all day. Under water there is very little sun that gets through, especially at the depth of where my father's kingdom is. Our only source of light are the Angler Fish. However, light was seldom needed for mermaids, since we were able to see in the dark, and in fog and mist. That's why most of us get bad reputation for attacking unsuspecting ships during thick fogs at sea at the dead of night.

There was ship on the docks, a big one, with a flag I couldn't quite make, it was tangled around the mast, since there wasn't a heavy wind, just a blazing sun that scorched my pearly white skin. It was natural for mermaids to be unnaturally pale, since we live so deep in the water. There was some that had a darker tone, some even as black as night, but typically we were all stark-white. At least where I was from. I hardly ventured anywhere else besides out side of the oceans of my father's domain.

I paid close attention to what was happening on the ship. It looked like a fight; a sword fight! I leaned in closer, and squinted my eyes to get a better look, but all I could see was a dark-haired man, and his opponent was obscured by the shrouds and sails. Suddenly, there was a yell coming from the boat, and the dark-haired man clutched his arm to his chest. I perked up, wondering if he was alright.

Shortly after the yell, a puff a smoke erupted on the deck of the ship, and what ever conflict happened, was gone. There was some movement in the ship, but I couldn't make out anything else, and eventually, the dark haired man disappeared somewhere in the ship.

Sighing, I leaned against the rock wondering what actually happened, and why they were fighting in the first place, and why there was smoke, and what happened to that man... So many questions. If only I was on that ship, maybe I could have stopped it?

After a few minutes, nothing really happened. The ship set sail, and began to slowly leave port. It seemed quiet, and nothing of interest. I still had a while before Sebastian summons up the courage to go to the surface to see if I'm here. So, I jumped off the rock, and swam away from the cluster, swimming closer to the docks, towards the shore, where most of the humans would lose their items.

Using a fish net that was left under the dock, I filled it up with items of interest... a gold round object that made a strange ticking noise. A metal object with a sharp rigged end, connected to a large hoop... A silver piece that looked like my father's trident. A small silver ring, and a few golden coins.

Many would consider this junk... But they were wonderful in my eyes. The closest things I can ever get to understand those creatures that walk above us.

After I gathered everything up, I turned around and began to swim home. It was nearing sundown, the time humans usually lay down for the night, which meant that it would be almost supper for me.

I was nearly halfway there when something changed in the water. I could feel it...a storm. It was a big one... It didn't make much sense, the water was calm and the sky was clear, it wouldn't rain today. The water never lies, though.

The first thing that popped into my head were those sailors on the ship. They just set sail, and will be heading right into that storm.

I don't know why I dropped my stuff into the ocean and swam back. I knew I should have gone back home... But the twisting in my gut was pulling me towards the surface.

_It will be dangerous, _I told myself _What if you get hurt, or killed, or worse? Captured? _

I was not listening to reason, and what usually came in the form of Sebastian's voice or Father's was gone, like it usually was. This time though, it was completely gone, and all I could hear was the water rushing passed my ears as I jumped up over the crashing waters.

Brushing my hair back, I looked around, trying to spot life. The waves were blocking most of my view, and it was starting to get much darker than before. I dove back into the water, hoping I'd be able to see the hull of the ship. Eventually, I did spot a big black form in the distance. I swam closer and saw the wood, and immediately sprung back up to the surface to see what was going on.

When I emerged, the rain was coming down hard, and I could vaguely hear the action on the ship, yelling of orders, and the groans the masts made as it was struck by the harsh wind. I had no idea what I should do, how to help them. That was until I started to feel the current pull me far away at a rapid speed, which meant the waves were gathering to form a large tidal wave. From the pressure it had by pulling me farther away, I could tell it was enough to tip the boat over to its side with the help of the wind.

I wasn't as powerful as my father was in terms of magic, after all he had the trident. But every merperson had one power, the power of the Siren's Song. A power seldom used by any civilized mer, but it's one that give us many bad reputations.

I couldn't control the wave that was pulling me away, but I could swim against, and make my own to gently push the ship in the other direction. I swam against the wave's pull, until I was closer to the ship, and then inhaled.

_**On the Jolly Roger... **_

"FULL CANVAS!"

"_FULL CANVAS!" _

"ALL HANDS ON DECK, MAN THE TOPGALLANT!"

"_MAN THE TOPGALLANT!" _

Killian shouted orders while his first mate shouted them back. The winds never spoke of a storm earlier, it seemed to come out of no where. It made it all the more difficult to steer his ship with one of his hands cut off, still bleeding, and shooting sharp pains up his arm.

"CAP'N, THE FOREMAST IS GONNA COLLAPSE!" He looked over and saw just that, he could hear the wood groan and the splinters crack. His full canvas command was back firing; the wind was not on his side, but fighting against him. He wonder how that was possible if the winds were supposed to be pushing the waves.

It was magic, he could smell it in the air. The one name popped in his head: Rumpelstiltskin. Which meant he found out he was empty handed. His face twisted with a determination. If that crocodile thinks he can get rid of him that easily, he's got another thing coming.

"COLLAPSE THE SAILS!" Killian shouted. The crew stopped what they're doing and looked at him with confused faces. After a moment of silence, his first mate repeated him, and then all went back to work. The sails were brought down. If the wind and water were pushing him in different directions, then he will let the water push the ship.

The foremast stopped moaning, and for a moment, Killian thought he had this under control. Until he heard one of the crew shout his name. He looked over and saw him pointing a panicked finger towards the waves, and when Killian looked, his face went pallid, and his life flashed before his eyes.

A huge tidal wave was approaching, sucking the ship in as fast as it was coming. There was no avoiding it, and if it wasn't going to crush the Jolly Roger down to oblivion, then it will surely tip it over and trap everyone under the ship.

"HOLD ON, GENTLEM-" he was cut off when something cut through the pounding wind and the crash of both water and lightening. It was a beautiful sound, like the sighs and bells of angels echoing through the sky. It wasn't just him who heard it, everyone on deck heard.

Killian heard that song before, but it was an ill omen. Was a mermaid causing this? That was the onlic explaination for this freak of nature. Gritting his teeth, he left the wheel to his first mate and went to lean over the railing, looking around to see if he could spot the siren.

And there, in the dip of the waves he could see red amongst the deep blue. Curling his lip, Killian got ready to shout an order to man the canons, intending to shoot down the mermaid before she killed them all. However, something stopped him; looking closely, there was another wave coming from the direction of the mermaid. An impossible wave, coming from the west against the waves coming from the north.

This one, smaller than the one dooming them, was coming in fast, and before Killian could really understand what she was doing, her wave crashed into the side of the ship, and then again another one the same size. It was forcing the ship out of the way of the tidal wave.

The mermaid was trying to save them. With only minutes before the tidal reach them, Killian shouted, "FULL CANVAS, WE'RE GOING WEST!" With a violent turn with his one hand, he steered the vessel to the west, forcing the wind to blow through the sails in that direction.

Then, the Tidal wave was there, as tall as the main mast and as wide as a twelve houses. With all their efforts, they couldn't avoid it. The tidal crashed onto their side, flooding the deck, and pulling some crew members down into the depths.

The last thing he heard, and saw, was that little mermaid's song, and her arms above her head as she tried to shield the tidal wave with her own. And then, Killian couldn't hold onto the wheel anymore, the current took him along with some of his crew.

If only he had another hand, he would have held on longer. Damn that Rumpelstiltskin.

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**I'm still not entirely proud of how I wrote this, but I kept on re writing it, and I'm still not satisfied...**

**Also, here's the casting (:**

**ARIEL/BETTA is played by **Karen Gillan

**ATTINA/SOFIA is played by** Lana Del Rey

**AQUATA/LYNN is played by** Emmy Rossum

**ANDRINA/ADRIAN is played by** Taylor Momsen

**ARISTA/NIXIE is played by** Taylor Swift

**ADELLA/BROOKE is played by** Demi Lavato

**ALANA/DIANA is played by** Emilia Clarke

**KING TRITON/MURDOCK FISHER** is played by Liam Neeson

**URSULA/VANESSA** is played by Catherine Zeta-Jones

**PRINCE ERIC/DEREK PRINCE** is played by Ian Somerhalder

**MR. CRABAPPLE/SEBASTIAN** is played by Phill Lewis


	3. You're The One I've Been Looking For

_**Ready To Stand**_

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**Alright, since I've already published everything else, here's chapter three. I still need to write chapter five, but instead of making you guys wait until I was done that, I decided to give you chapter four. Thank you all for the reviews, follows, and favourites! They're much appreciated and anticipated!**

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**Chapter Three:  
****You're The One I've Been Looking For**

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"Betta, what are you doing?" Diana looked up to see her sister pulling on jeans. It had to be at least 11 pm, and everyone, including Betta, had to be up early morning for family breakfast.

Betta looked at her and signed with her hands, "_I can't sleep, I'm going out for a walk._"

"You can't, Vanessa will see you!" Diana sat up in her bed. The Fisher house was big, but not big enough for every daughter to have their own room. The only one that had their own room was Sofia.

Betta shrugged and then pulled on a sweater, and then signed, "_I will be back before one._"

"You're going to get into serious trouble, you know," Diana sighed and rolled over in her bed.

Grinning, Betta shoved her pencil and note bad into her sweater pocket, and then pulled out a rope from under a floorboard next to her bed. She tied it around an exposed pipe behind her dresser, and carefully started to climb down.

She had done this so many times, even without Diana knowing, that getting down from the second floor was so fluent that she was sure she could do it in her sleep.

Once she reached the bottom, she got on her hands and knees, and crawled under the view of the bay window where her step mother, Vanessa, was most likely reading. Once Betta was in the shade of the tree on their front yard, she got up, and ran all the way to the harbour. Once she was there, she sighed in bliss.

Taking off her shoes, she sat down on the dock, and dipped her feet in the water. There was something about the sea that drew her to it. The feel of the water, the rush she got from swimming. The things she found, the sea shells, the fish, the critters, the crabs... It was wonderful. But ever since her mother died from drowning all those years ago, father never let her or her sisters near the water. Sofia and Lynn maybe, since they were the oldest just...especially not Betta.

Sighing, she leaned on her palms and looked around. the harbour was usually empty at this time of the night, the only sounds are the distant barks of Mr. Hopper's dog, Pongo, and the boats bumping onto the side of the dock from being pushed around by the water.

At that moment, a series of barks could be heard. They were close, and Betta wondered if Pongo got loose again. Sitting up, she looked around until she saw a shaggy white dog booking it to the dock across from Betta. Attached to the dog was a lash, and on the leash held a man yelling "MAX! STOP! SIT! HEEL!" on rollerblades.

And as if in a comedic scene from a Looney Toons episode, the dog, Max, suddenly stopped at the very edge of the dock, resulting in the man to shoot into the water at full speed. There was a loud splash, water going all over the dog, who nonchalantly shook his massive amount of fur and laid down on the very spot.

Betta shot up from her spot and ran over to the other dock, forgetting her shoes in the process. When she got there, she could see the man splashing in the water. He would have a hard time treading water with those rollerblades on.

She pulled off her sweater and jumped in after him. When she saw him in the water, he was slowly sinking from the weight of the blades. Betta swam to him with as much speed as a torpedo, wrapped her arms under his, and pulled him back up to the surface of the water. He gasped for air, and Betta wasted no time to pull over to the dock, where he grasped the end with his hands.

She hopped on, and grabbed his forearm, helping him up. They both flopped down onto the deck next to each other, and immediately the shaggy dog came over and began to lick his owner's face.

The man began to cough and gently swatted his dog away. Betta sat up and looked down at the man, who had his eyes closed. With the harbour lights, she could see his face clearly. He had dark, almost black hair, and thick eyebrows that complimented his face. Just when she wondered what his eyes looked like, they began to flutter open, and to her delight it was a beautiful sky-blue colour.

"You saved me," the stranger coughed and smiled.

She smiled back at him and nodded, but her face turned into a frown when she heard a familiar shout call her name in the direction of the Fisher's warehouse.

Her face paled, and she looked down at the man and gave him a apologetic smile, who gave her a confused look. Betta shot up from next to him and ran over to the other dock, grabbed her shoes and took off to her house.

If her father's manager, Mr. Crabapple, found her, he would most likely bring her straight to her father. He probably knew she was here when he heard the splashing in the water, as he's caught her doing on multiple occasions.

Barefooted, Betta ran through grass and dirt and road, and finally to the front garden, where she got on her knees and ducked under the window before she found the rope that went up to her bedroom, and quickly climbed up.

About halfway up, she heard someone knock on the front door, and she froze on the spot. The door opened, and she could hear her step mother's voice.

"Mr. Crabapple... Do you realize what time it is?"

"Yes, I know, I'm sorry, Mrs. Fisher. But I think I heard Betta at the docks again," he sounded breathless, like he was running.

Betta heard Vanessa give an audible sound of disapproval, "That little... Let me check if she's in bed."

At those words, Betta began to book it up the rope. She flung herself through the window, grabbed the rope, only to be pulled back. The rope was caught in a notch in the window. Footsteps could be heard climbing up the stairs, and Betta began to panic. She tugged and pulled, but the rope wouldn't budge.

In a fit of desperation, she threw the rest of the rope out the window and slammed it shut, and pounced in her bed, tangling herself in blankets. She got in there just in time, because the door opened and light poured in.

After a few seconds, and the door closed again, Betta let herself breathe. That was close.

_**The next morning... **_

Emma walked into the Sheriff station with a sigh, a cup of coffee in one hand, and a bag with a bagel smothered with cream cheese in the other. For a small town, Storybrooke had a lot going on, and she wondered how Graham ever got anything done on his own. How could one person police a whole town, despite it's small population? There were people in this town she hadn't even met yet.

When she sat at her desk, she already saw the lights blink on the phone, already people had called in. She picked up the phone and pressed the buttons, listening to the three messages.

"Damn kids put dog crap on my doorstep!" Screamed an elderly lady Emma known as Mrs. Cabbage. "Tell those brats to stay away from my house!"

Emma rolled her eyes, and then listened to the next one, "Someone doesn't pick up their dog's shit! Every morning, there's a turd on my lawn."

The Sheriff smiled into her coffee at Mr. French's outrage. Emma made a note to talk to Archie to see if Pongo had anything to do with that. There were other dogs, but Pongo was the one dog that was frequently around the center of the town.

The last message came, and this time she had to roll her eyes at Regina's snippy voice. "I've got a call that there was _someone _fooling around the Fisher's boats. You didn't answer your beeper, so they called me. Do your job, Swan."

Fooling around the Fisher's boats? It was probably the youngest one, or just some kids going for a dip. The only person that would call in for something so trivial as that would be Vanessa Fisher. Emma had a hunch that the Lady of the house knew just who it was, but was determined to get the youngest daughter in trouble. She just couldn't understand why.

Betta's relationship with Vanessa was a bit like Emma's relationship with Regina. So, by default, Emma wanted to help the little mute Fisher girl.

Just then the bell to the front door ringed, and the Sheriff looked up, seeing one of those faces she had yet to see in this town. He had dark hair, bright blue eyes, and a lean posture, but looked some what self conscious as he walked in holding a sweater.

"Hi, I'm sorry to bother you... Is this a good time, Sheriff Swan?"

"Well, I was just gonna have breakfast. What do you need, Mister..?"

"Prince. Derek Prince," he answered then shuffled to the desk, and handed her the sweater. "Last night... I almost drowned at the harbour when I was blading with my dog, Max. I was saved... by this girl. She left before I could thank her, but she forgot this..."

_So that must have been the commotion Regina was talking about,_ Emma thought. Taking the sweater, she examined it, and a note book fell out. She knew instantly who this sweater belonged to.

Smiling, she showed him the note book, "This is Betta Fisher's sweater. She's the one you're looking for."

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**So if you haven't figured it out, all the odd numbered chapters are Storybrooke chapters, and all the even numbered chapters are in the Enchanted Forest flash back. I'm pretty sure I've caught up with the casting, so if you need a refresher, just look at chapter 2 for the list. Happy readings xoxox**


	4. Part of That World

**Ready To Stand**

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**I know, I know! It's been a while. But I guess during the holiday break I didn't feel like doing anything. But after being reunited with our pirate once again, I had to publish chapter four!**

**Hope you enjoy it ~**

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**Chapter Four:  
Part of That World**

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I managed to hold the ship upwards when the tidal wave hit, but I couldn't save some of the men who fell off. Not now, anyway. I kept my song strong, and guided the boat to the nearest remote island with one final push of waves. The worst of the storm seemed to pass, and I took this moment to see if I could save any lives that sank under the boat.

Swimming under, I could see two men trying to fight for the surface. I quickly went to them and told them to hold onto my tail with my hands. They both looked so shocked to see a mermaid with then, one gasped and began to choke, and the other tried to swim away.

There was nothing I could do for the man who swam away, but the man who choked on water I can help. I wrapped my arms under his, and pulled him to the surface. He gasped when he met the surface, and I moved him over to within the island's distance.

He didn't have time to register what happened before I dove back into the water, trying to find the other man, but I couldn't find him. I swam around and around, and was only able to see one other sailor, who was passed out. All I could do for him was pull him out of the water and put him on a drifting piece of wood, then sent a wave to glide him back to the ship, hoping that someone will spot him.

I went back, looking around, and then I swam deeper, and deeper until I saw a cloud of black ink. Oh no.

Plunging into the inky darkness, I reached out, trying to feel anything while swatting the ink away with my tail, hoping to thin out the black cloud. While waving it away, I spotted a white hand and immediately lunged for it, grabbing the man's wrist and began to swim back. As soon as I got out of the ink cloud, Something yanked me back. Looking down I saw a long black tentacle wrapped around the sailor's ankle.

Without letting him go, I reached down, and dug my nails into the tentacle, and immediately it unraveled and pulled away, shooting back into the black cloud.

With my hands under his arms, I swam up to the surface, pulling him up, and side swimming over to the beach that was near by. Once we got there, I slid him onto the sand, and laided next to him. The sand itched my scales and somewhat burnt from the sun. I ignored it, because the man I rescued was complete unconscious. I tapped his face, and smooshed his cheeks, hoping to wake him up. He was beginning to pale, which concerned me. Humans weren't usually that pale, right? But also, Humans don't breathe water, or breathe water and air like mermaids.

I pressed my hands on his chest, and flattened my palms down, trying to see if I can get him to spit out water. To my worry, it didn't work. Maybe I should breathe air into his mouth? Leaning over to him, I took his chin and inhaled.

And just when I was going to close my mouth over his, the man started to cough, spitting water into my face. Out of instinct, I pulled my self away and wiped my face furiously. I had water in my face all the time, but I never had someone _spit it _all over my face. Quite the difference.

"It's you," I heard through fits of coughs. I looked back at him, seeing the sailer conscious now, with colour slowly coming to his cheeks. My mouth gaped, not knowing what to say, or knowing what he'd do. Sailers, especially pirates, were quick to trap and or kill mermaids. But this man, who ever he was, with the missing hand, and the sparkling blue eyes and dark hair, was only looking at me with a curious stare.

"I-"

"CAPT'N! THAT YOU?!"

This man, the captain, turned at the familiar voice, and I took this moment to take my leave. I rolled over and slipped back into the ocean without so much as a splash as sound.

_**On the Jolly Roger... **_

"How much damages are to the Jolly Roger, Bones?" Killian asked his first mate.

"The Foremast needs work. Some sails need to be mended. We lost supplies, and the hull needs some care, Capt'n." Bones watched his friend closely, noticing how he looked out into the ocean.

"And the prisoner?"

"Safe, he was still in the brig when we searched the ship... But..." Bones trailed off.

Killian finally turned to him, "What is it?"

"He says that he lost the bean. That the water washed it out of his hand. We searched all over the sail, and stripped him down. He's telling the truth, sir."

Killian cursed, ran his fingers through his hair, holding the stump of a wrist to his chest. With the storm, he hadn't properly tended to it, and now it was bleeding once again, and stinging badly from the salt in the water. Now with the magical bean lost somewhere in the ocean, there was no way they could get to Neverland. Unless...

"Bones, you told me there is another Bean Stock. Is this true?"

Bones nodded, "Yes, but it is far up north... We we will be in Snow Queen territory, sir."

Killian's jaw gritted. The Snow Queen... She was nothing like the Evil Queen, Regina, but she was just as dangerous. The journey to the north would be traitorous, the winds would he harsh, and icebergs would be common, rising the steaks of accidently hitting one. He needed someone that knew the ocean better than he. He needed someone that had a little bit of magic.

That mermaid. The mermaid that saved him, and his crew.

Killian's hope was restored, and his trade mark smirk appeared. "Bones. Let's get to work. And after... we will be going mermaid hunting."

_**Under The Sea... **_

When I got to the Kingdom, everything was deathly quiet. I was terribly late. I swam into the castle, and straight into the Mess Hall, where the family would be for the feast.

Instead of a crowded room of merpeople, my father was there alone, hovering over the grandiose stone that was much like a throne.

"Father, I...I wasn't hung-"

"Save it, Ariel," his large tail unraveled itself as he pulled himself up from his throne. He did not look happy.

"How could you, Ariel? I told you never to go up to the surface."

"But, father, I had no choice...People were going to drown-"

"That is not my, nor your concern! Humans are not of our concern! You deliberately defied me, Ariel. And after what happened to your mother..." he had a look that was a mixture of pure anger, and pure disappointment, and pure sadness.

But for me, all I saw was a relentless father that was determined to keep me in a bubble, ignorant to the wonderful world that was above us. "Mother was killed by _pirates _father. Not all humans are pirates!"

"Oh? And those sea monkeys you saved weren't?"

I crossed my arms and furrowed my brows, "No, they weren't!"

His eyes narrowed, and his tone became lower, which made me alert, "Are you sure, daughter of mine? Because when I sent Sebastian to look for you, he found this around the storm..."

He reached from behind his throne and pulled out a black cloth. When he unfolded it, and let it float over to me, I grabbed it and looked. On it a white skull with cross bones, grinning up at me menacingly.

Something cold and hard dropped into my stomach. They were pirates. I saved pirates. I saved who may potentially be the people that killed my mother.

"You caused the storm..." I realized.

"I wanted to eliminate them... So they would not be a problem..." His face soften a bit I noticed, but I forced myself to look away.

"They weren't doing anything, I was watching them father. They were just sailing away," I tried to say, my voice soft.

"That, you do not know," I looked up as he crossed his arms. "And as for you watching humans...this will have to stop. I forbid you to ever rising to the surface ever again, Ariel."

"But, father-"

"And I had your little _cove _destroyed... I don't want any reminders of the humans. You are to never leave this kingdom. Do you hear me, Ariel?"

It was impossible to tell if a mermaid was crying. That is a known fact. But when my father told me that, the something cold and hard that was in my stomach before just completely frozen over. He destroyed my cove... He destroyed the things I collected, the things that I loved most in the world.

The thinga-ma-bobs, the doodads, the snappers, the moon-tickers. They all may be objects that were lost, of no importance to anyone else, but they were the world to me. My only connection, the closest thing I can be to being human. And it was destroyed, and a part of me was destroyed with it.

I couldn't say anything to him. My mouth was as dry as the desserts I've heard about. My throat was as swollen as a puffer fish, and soul was as cold as the icebergs in the north. I suddenly felt more alone than I had ever been in my life.

And I had to get away. I had to get away from this castle...This kingdom. From him. From my life. I don't want to be a mermaid anymore, I want to be free.

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**I hope that this chapter is good enough to get some reviews! I hardly got any last time around, and I guess that's why I was a little put off from writing more for a while. Ah well, I'm back now. **

**Happy Readings xoxo. **


	5. Swimming Away

**Ready To Stand**

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**I've been getting a lot of inspiration for this story, so that is why this chapter came so early! Things will start to pick up, especially in the next chapter, which is the moment you all been waiting for. I want to publish that later today, hopefully, since I have already begun chapter seven. Anyway, glad that people are still ready! Hope you enjoy~**

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**Chapter Five:  
Swimming Away**

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"Betta, we found this outside your window," Murdock tossed the rope on the table in front of them.

The red head looked down at the rope in horror, she had forgotten to hide it that morning. All she could do was bite her lip and look down guiltily, and hoping that her cute face would get her out of it once again.

"And that cute face will not get you out of this, young lady," the Fisher father sighed and crossed his arms. "What did you think you were doing out late at night? At the docks! What have I told you?"

Betta raised her hands, and began to sign, _"I'm sorry, dad. I just love the ocean. I only put my feet inside the water."_

Vanessa scoffed and looked at her husband, "her bed sheets and clothing were soaked, Murdock. She wasn't just putting her feet in the water."

Typically Murdock loved to hear his wife speak, she had a lovely voice, one of the very reasons why he had married her, but he really didn't like when she was angry. Her complaining about Betta was like needles in his ears.

He looked at his youngest daughter, "Is this true Betta?"

_"There was a man drowning, he fell in while rollerblading with his dog. I was only trying to save him."_

"You expect us to believe that?" Vanessa had her hand on the table and looking at Betta sharply.

"Vanessa, please, let me talk to my daughter," Murdock pinched the bridge of his nose.

"_Your _daughter? I thought we established that they are _ours_?"

Betta slammed her palms on the table to catch the attention of the two parents, but mostly Vanessa's. When her step mom's eyes turned to her with an annoyed look, Betta signed her hands sharply, angrily, and spitefully.

_"You are not my mother, and you never will be. I, and my sisters, are not yours!"_

"Betta!"

"Are you going to let her _talk_ to me like that, Murdock!?"

And then, Betta snarkly signed, _"Are you blind, or stupid? I can't talk." _

"Betta Fisher, go to your room now!"

Murdock was furious. Betta had always been rebellious, but she had to be at least some-what respectful. She was not a fan of his second wife, it was no secret, but she never had spoken so freely like that before, at least not in front of him or Vanessa. And just when Murdock thought he had a handle of his daughter, she stood up, knocking back the chair in the process, and signed one last thing to him.

_"I'm not a child anymore, dad. I don't have to listen to you. I don't have to be home at a certain time, or have breakfast and dinner at the exact same time with everyone. We are not kids. And I'm tired of being treated like one."_

"As long as you live under my roof, Betta, you _will _listen to me, do you hear? _You will obey me, Vanessa, and that is final._"

As if things couldn't get any worse or surprising, Betta actually gave one last hand motion. The flip of a single finger, in the middle, and then ran up stairs.

There was nothing Murdock could do but yell after her, catching her slam her bedroom door when he followed her to the stairs.

Little did Vanessa or Murdock know was that Betta had no intentions of staying under his roof. Luckily Diana and the others left, so no one was there to witness the ordeal, or stop Betta from packing her bags.

She had many precious things. Seashells, mostly, but she only had enough room for certain items. One bag was full of her clothing. She only packed the clothes she wore often, and left anything fancy, save for some jewelry she decided to pawn off. The next bag was things she needed, tooth brush, make up, a dozen or so note pads and pencils, a bag of seashells, and other essentials. Most importantly the picture she had of her and her mother before she died. Once everything was packed up, she went over to the desk and wrote a letter.

_Diana, Lynn, Sofia, Brooke, Adrian, and Nixie, _

_I don't know how you can stand living here. I certainly can't. I'm moving out, and as long as Vanessa is here, I don't think I will ever come back. _

_I know you think what I'm doing is selfish, but sometimes we gotta do things for ourselves when we know it's the right thing. I know mom wouldn't want me to stay in a house that I'm so obviously miserable in. _

_I don't know where I'll stay, but know I'll finally be happy when I get there. Don't worry, I'll be fine... I'm stronger than you guys take me credit for. _

_I love you all, and I will miss you until the next time I see you, and then after. _

_Betta. _

_Ps. Tell dad that I'm sorry, that I didn't mean to leave the way I did. _

Her palms were on her eyes by now. Her throat had cotton inside as she folded the note and left it on Diana's bed. Betta never thought she would actually be leaving the Fisher house, but she now realized that things were never going to change if she stayed here.

Walking over to the window, she grabbed her bags, and tossed the one with her clothes out the window, and the other put around her shoulder. She had an extra rope under the floorboards just incase the other had ripped, so she took it out, and tied it around the exposed pipe, and sat on the windowsill.

Looking back in her room, she looked around as memories flooded back to her. This was where mom would tuck her and Diana to bed, and read her stories about Peter Pan, pirates, and mermaid princesses.

Betta swallowed and then sniffled. "Good bye," she mouthed and began climbing down the rope for the last time.

_**A few hours later... **_

Diana was just starting up the Wii fit when the doorbell rang. She could hear Adrian scream from upstairs in her room for someone to get the door. Rolling her eyes, the second youngest Fisher trudged over to the door and opened it.

"Uh, hello?" Diana blinked up at the strange man.

"Hi," Derek said rather awkwardly. "Are you... Betta Fisher?" He wasn't entirely confidant of what Betta looked like, since it had been dark and the harbour lights were shadowing her face pretty well.

"No, I'm her sister," Diana looked at him skeptically. "What do you need?"

"To thank her," he looked down and extended the sweater, "and to give her back this. She forgot it at the dock, you see..."

That was when Diana's eyes lit up. She heard Vanessa muttering about the so called lies that Betta told about saving someone's life, as well as everything else that resulted in her being locked in her room for.

"So she was telling the truth," Diana smiled. "I knew it."

"I'm sorry?" Derek cocked his head to the side.

The brunette smiled and invited him in after she took the sweater. "Betta got into trouble for swimming in the harbour last night; she said she was saving someone's life. Guess she was telling the truth."

She led him to the living room and told him to make himself comfortable, "My dad is out, but he doesn't need to know that Betta left her room. She's kinda grounded."

Derek couldn't help but to be disappointed, not because she got into trouble because of him - well, that too - but if this girl was grounded that would mean she was still just a kid. "Grounded, huh? Shouldn't she be in school right now, though?"

Diana looked at him and laughed, "No, she's nineteen. Outta school long time ago."

"Nineteen?" He sat up, "Isn't that a little old to be grounded?"

"Tell that to my father."

Diana knocked on the door to her and Betta's bedroom, "Betta, you've got a visitor... A handsome one, come to return your 'glass slipper'."

Silence. No shuffling of the feet, or turning of the knob, "Betta?"

_**Mean while...**_

Mr. Gold heard the bell to his front door open, and so came out from his back office to the front desk. He was expecting to see another visit from the typical crowd: Regina, Emma, etc. Instead, to his surprise, he sees Storybrooke's medical enigma.

"Miss Fisher, what can I do for you?" There was a rare occasion when Mr. Gold would see a Fisher girl, since Murdock keeps those girls on lock down, not to mention that Vanessa makes sure that Gold has nothing to do with them at all costs. Of course, that was all Regina's doing.

The redhead passed him the note pad where it read her request, _"I need a job."_

Well, that was certainly an odd request. "Does your father know you're here? Does he approve of you getting a job?"

The mute bit her lip, and then flipped to a new page, and quickly scribbled it down, _"He doesn't know I'm here. I moved out."_

Well, this certainly was nostalgic, Gold thought. He did his best not to smile out of knowing, "Moved out, or ran away?"

Betta gave him a defeated look.

There was something about those large sea-foam doe eyes that were hard to say no to. That, and Gold loved anything that would piss of Vanessa.

"Where are you staying, Betta?"

She quickly scribbled down on a new paper, _"I have enough money for a week at Granny's." _

Suddenly, a light bulb flickered above Gold's head. He knew just the way to piss off Vanessa, that Witch.

"Don't worry about that, Betta. I think I have a place for you to stay. Someone owes me a favour."

Betta cocked her head to the side, wondering what he was talking about. Then again, it was never for Betta to question Mr. Gold. What ever he did, worked, even if it was for his own benefits. If he says that he had a place for her to stay, then she believed him.

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**It's short, I know! That's why I want to publish the next chapter later on tonight if I can. **

**Reviews will fuel my drive :P**

**Happy Readings oxoxox**


	6. Poor Unfortunate Soul

**Ready To Stand**

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**Like I promised! Chapter Six up today... I rather like this chapter. It's of one scene only, but I enjoy writing Rumpel... Anyway. Next chapter will be pretty boring, so that's why I'm gonna try to get chapter eight out quickly after. I still haven't written it though, so you're going to need to wait. **

**Also, someone in the reviews mentioned Flounder. I don't think I'll be making Flounder, or Scuttle for that matter, because there really isn't need for them in this story. I will probably make a mention of them in some way, though. **

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**Chapter Six:  
Poor Unfortunate Soul**

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There was no where else I could go, surely my father would be searching the depths of the deepest seas by now. When I left, he merely thought I'd retreat back to what was left of my Cove, my sanctuary, but that was hours ago and the sun was on the verge of rising, putting light onto this brand new day.

I had thought about going to my Cove, though the revelation of him knowing where I'd go to drove me to the only other place that brought me any comfort: the rocks that I sat between as I watched the humans. However it was far too early in the morning, and I didn't see any people, or boats. Just pesky hermit crabs, seagulls, and the salty, cold, sea wind.

My mind traveled to the sailers that I saved, and my heart was heavy with the words spoken hours ago. My father may had been right, and they were pirates, but I knew something was different about them. After all he had _seen _me, and I saved their lives, at least to those I found. And surely once I had dragged the one-handed man to shore and took off, he would have had his shipmates to swim after me, or told them to man the canons. Though nothing of the sort had happened, and I returned to the Kingdom Under the Water without effort.

I rested my chin on my folded arms, and hummed, looking at the sunset, and loving every minute of it. We hardly ever saw the sun in the water, and such colours that were painted in the sky did not exist in the sea.

"Thinkin' hard, or hardly thinkin'?"

The voice startled me and out of instinct, I fell back into the water, and hid behind a pointed rock.

"Oh, now come, come! No need to be shy! You were just the fish I was lookin' for!"

I peaked around the rock with narrowed suspicious eyes, "Who are you?"

He was an odd man, standing on a slanted rock, the highest one of the clutter, one boot up so his knee was bent, and the other one standing on a step. It looked awfully painful, but he was so casually leaning against it, I could have been mistaken.

He just smiled at me, and I grimaced only slightly at the state of his teeth. "Oh, I am sure you've heard of me, little Angel Fish. Some call me... The Dark One?"

As if my guard wasn't up enough, I was about ready to swim away. "Father had warned me about you, _Rumpelstiltskin_. Says you have a foul way of using magic."

"All magic is foul, dearie, no matter what way of using it. All magic has a-"

"Price. I know," I said darkly. He merely smiled at me, and tilted his head so that his stringy hair touched his shoulder.

"Smart girl, smart girl indeed," Suddenly he dropped from his pedestal, and onto another one, but this time shorter and closer to me. I, of course, pushed myself back, but felt my back hit the stone behind me. "But you forget yourself, dearie. You have left your father's safety, his rule..."

"How do you know that?"

"Let's just say... A little Eel told me."

I looked at me suspiciously, "What of me do you want?"

"The real question is... What is it of me do you want?"

"I don't want anything-"

"Tah, tah!" He wagged his finger, "I've seen you here at this very spot, looking longingly out on land for freedom. I know what it is you want...All you need to do is voice that of which you want."

I've known always to never trust this man, and I knew immediately he was up to something. "Why do you offer me what I want?"

He sighed and rolled his eyes, as if tired of the prolonged conversation. With that he sat down instead of his crouched position, and clasped his hands together, "Let's say that you remind me of someone, someone who I saw in you when I watched you _swim _away from your father. I know a broken heart when I see one, especially when it was inflicted by a parent; a father. I want to help you, dearie..."

"Why is it that I don't believe you?"

"Because my reputation isn't the best of sorts, I admit it! But my intentions are good... I swear it," he smiled that yellow smile, yellow like his skin, eyes, and hair. It was as if he was made out of molded, rusted, and old gold, but gold nonetheless.

"You will make me human?"

"You are already half human, dearie!"

"I mean fully human... You will give me legs?"

He smiled, as if the word 'legs' was a key to everything, "Yes, _of course._ Legs for you, so you may walk on land, and have your feet take you to places you never imagined. See trees as tall as the depths of the ocean, and mountains just as wide. You will find cats without fins, and horses that will not fit in your hand."

He made it seem so much more beautiful than I had hoped it would be. Rumpelstiltskin had a way with words yes, which explained his easy success to people's most treasured things.

"What do you want of me in return? After all, _magic comes at a price._ Name yours. I have you know, I have no means to get riches, as mermaids have no value over gold and jewels." There were many _other _things that he could possibly want, after all Mermaids were famously discreet, and trusted no one but their own kind. If he wanted something from me, it may be for potions and the like. A mermaid hair, a tear, a scale, a drop of blood, any of which I would be happy to lend, as it would mean nothing to me. But in the deepest sea of my heart knew that what the Dark One wanted was something less obvious, and perhaps more valuable, or seemingly invaluable depending on his intentions.

If it were possible, his smile widened, and his eyes danced, "Why, dearie, I can make gold any day I please, and with that gold I could buy as many jewels as the Enchanted Forest has. No, my dear Angel fish, what I want from you is... _your voice._"

"My voice? But how can I-?"

"No need to worry, dearie! You're a pretty girl, you'll do fine without it."

"How is that going to help me communicate?"

He laughed, "You'll be surprised how much body language can tell... especially to a _man._"

"I do _not_ want to become human to get a man," I stated with a hard voice. "It is the land I fell in love with."

"Very well, if you _insist._ I am just used people wanting a deal either out of _love _or _greed_. You'd be shocked at how those two coincide."

"What do you want my voice for?" I asked, changing the subject.

His smile faltered quite a bit, "What do you want legs for, dearie? To see the land. I want your voice to _see the sea,_" he gave a little giggle at his pun. "So what do you say, Angel Fish?"

I looked at him hard, but didn't answer. He wanted my voice, and to 'see the sea' meant he wanted to use it to control the sea. However, he was not from the sea, so if he held my voice to him, he would have no magic attached. After all, he was born of land, not of the sea. The waters would recognize the falseness in the song. In short, only a resident of the ocean, with magic in their blood could ever steal and use a Mermaid's song, for only they know how the waves spoke. Whether or not Rumpelstiltskin knew this, giving him my voice would achieve little to him.

The only reason that made me reconsider giving him my voice was not being able to communicate, and he seemed to read my mind.

"How 'bout I sweeten the deal, eh?" He sat up straight, "I give you legs, you give me your voice, and to _help _you communicate with your soon-to-be fellow humans, I'll give you a trinket." He reached into his shabby coat, and pulled out a shiny sleek something.

He held it with both hands and presented it to me. Woven with silver, and dipped at the center was a moonstone that shimmered blue and turquoise, was a circlet, and I happened to recognize that circlet.

"Where did you get that?" I said, even more suspicious than before.

He smiled, amused that I knew what it was, "Call it compensation from a previous deal."

How he got Ursula's Circlet was beyond me. It may have been a gorgeous head piece, but it was cursed to say the least. Ursula, the Sea Witch, had been condemned to a life of silence and hideousness centuries ago when she disrupted the peace of the ocean by killing my grandmother out of envy. My grandfather, with his mighty trident, had stripped her of her voice and replaced her iconic shimmery purple tale with slimy, fat, and long tentacles. That was when the Circlet was created by her hand, so she was able to speak her words of villainy. However, still, she may now have the power of persuasion, the Circlet did not offer any other magic than the spoken word. She could not sing, therefore she could not control the waves as she was once able to do before my grandfather pulled it out of her throat and squeezed it to ash.

I couldn't wear the crown of the witch that killed my grandmother, so I declined, saying such.

He looked slightly disappointed, but put the circlet back into his coat, "Very well, dearie... At the very least, let me provide you proper dress for when you get your precious legs. This way, when you hobble up to the docks you look to with much longing, you won't be indecent."

At this, I laughed, but only shortly. "That I will have to accept."

His smile grew broader, "So we have a deal, then? Legs for your voice? Or refuse, and have no where else to go, but back to the bubble under the sea, where your dearest father Triton will make your prison?"

I narrowed my eyes angrily, "I am no one's prisoner, and as long as my father treats me as such, I will never go back to him. I will miss my sisters and family dearly, but they do not understand my need. We do have a deal, Rumpelstiltskin. Where do I sign?"

The Dark One gave a high pitched laugh of delight, and produced a long scroll from beneath his sleeve, "On the dotted line, lass. Just there..."

He offered me a quill, in which I took carefully, and flourished my signature upon the line. As soon as my name was sealed in the black ink of the squids of the enchanted oceans, everything changed.

My lungs filled with fire and heat, and something began to swell in my throat. Before I knew it, I fell back into the water, and for the first time in my life, I felt like I was _drowning._

The sun was in my throat, and it burned all the way up to my mouth, and passed my lips and began to float to the surface. Then, just when I thought the pain was over, it shot back into me, from the tip of my fin and up the spine of my tail and back. I screamed out, but found that the sharp inhale of water had only made me choke. I couldn't _breathe_, I couldn't scream, and I was sinking, not able to swim back to the surface, as my tail was searing with such splitting agony, that I was far too weak and heavy to try...

And just when the water became dark, and my lids began to close, a hand reached into the depths of the water and grabbed my wrist and pulled me to. Whether it was the raggedy golden-tinted man, or another, I did not know, but I owed him my life.

_**Rumpelstiltskin's Point of View**_

He watched her fall in but didn't do anything, not until he saw the fantastic golden light from under the rippling surface of the water, and smiled. So that is what a mermaid's song looked like... Quite pretty. Not as awe-inspiring as True Love, as Rumpelstiltskin has witnessed, but it was definitely on the list of pretty things he had seen in his life time.

The small sun of magic floated up above the water and was just about to get away from him when he pulled out a shell and said some words in mermish, and the ball of light floated straight into the captive safety of the clam shell. Smiling quite deviously, Rumpelstiltskin placed the make-shift necklace around his neck and tucked it under his blouse, and looked below him.

There were bubbles forming and soon foam that turned pink. Never had he imagined there would be that much blood when the dear one's fin split. Rumpel wasn't lying when he said that she reminded him of someone, and felt a certain amount of sympathy for her, which was quite a big step for the Dark One. Normally, he would leave his victim on their own once he got what he wanted, however he _did_ promise the fish girl her clothes.

Sighing he reached into the water and grabbed her wrist, and just in time too, for she had just passed out. Rumpelstiltskin stared at her porcelain white face, and the ruby red hair that stuck to her cheeks, neck and chest.

"Hope you enjoy your legs, Dearie," he patted his collarbone where the shell sat. "I'll be keeping this close to me, making sure no one touches it. That you will be _sure_."

Then he snapped his fingers, and the half naked now-human maidens was adoring a pair of navy blue breeches, leather boots, a white tunic underneath a brown jerkin with a corset securing her waist. Lastly, he gave her a weapon, knowing she would need it in this big bad world called the Enchanted Forest. A cutlas sheathed at her waist, and a dagger tucked into her boot.

He placed her on the safest spot on the jagged rocks, and reached into his pocket and pulled out a small purse of coins and tucked it into the pocket of her jerkin.

"There you go, lass," he smiled, and leaned back. "This is where I go."

Before he was gone, he looked out in the ocean, seeing a ghastly face peak up from the waves of the ocean. Her alabaster skin shone under the light, making her skin look like an unhealthy purple, her hair stark white that it reflected blindingly like snow.

Rumpelstiltskin smiled condescendingly, and disappeared.

Ursula had no need for the Mermaid now that he stole her voice from her. Of course, if she wanted it so badly, the Sea Witch knew exactly what she had to do to get it back from him.

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**There you have it! Hope it was good...Really looking foreword to some reviews~**

**Happy Readings xoxox**


	7. Seven Fishers, and one Swan

_**Ready To Stand**_

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_****_**Ah! Sorry for no updates for months! Things have been hectic, resulting in a lot of creative blocking. But I'm slowly trying to get back in the groove. I finished chapter eight, and I'm working on chapter nine. Same thing goes with my other stories, which I haven't given up on, I promise! It's just going to be a slow process. **

**Thanks for being patient!**

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**Chapter Seven:  
Seven Fishers, and a Swan. **

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There was a knock on the door, and Emma looked up with Henry. He had just came back from school, and instead of taking the smart route and went straight home, he decided to pop by for a visit. Like he did at least two, three times a day.

"Is that Miss Blanchard?" He asked, almost panicked that he hadn't even started his new assignment.

Emma looked at the silhouette at the door, "I doubt it, kid."

She walked to the door, with all the swagger of a Storybrooke sherif, and when she opened the door she found the most peculiar duo behind it.

"Mr. Gold," she said, half surprised, but not as surprised as she looked at the silent red head beside him. "Betta? What are you two doing here."

"Miss Swan, remember when I said you owed me a favour?" His smile was unnerving, but not unkind.

"Yes," Emma answered, her eyes slightly narrowing in suspicion. "What do you want me to do?" She crossed her arms and peered at him.

"Miss Fisher here is in a predicament, you see. She ran away - or at her age, _moved out -_ of her home," Mr. Gold explained.

Emma's eyes rounded from her narrowed state when she looked at Betta, who seemed bashful as well as nervous. "And where do I exactly come in?"

"I simply would like for you to accommodate her. Give her a job, a place to stay, until she is well enough on her own to support herself."

Emma considered refusing, by there was no reason not to, not only because she _did_ owe Gold a favour (which could have been worse), but because she had no feud with Betta. Not to mention,the girl was lost with no where to go, something that Emma was familiar with.

"Fine," she said, tearing her eyes back to Gold. "There's an extra bed here, I'm sure Mary Margaret wouldn't mind... But as for a job, I don't know how she will help at the sherif's station. I would have her answer phones, but..."

"She can't talk, yes," Gold pointed out, and Emma could see the unease in Betta behind him. "But that disability is only one she has. I've known this little Fisher since she was a guppy," he smiled, as if hiding something in the meaning of his words. "Betta can write, by hand, as well as type faster than anyone I know. She has a good eye, being able to find the smallest objects in the biggest of hay stacks. She would be a good assistant should you have a case to solve. And she may not respond to phone calls, but she can text you when she receives a message from the answering machine, or goes to check it herself if she needs to."

He had certainly thought this through, and Emma supposed that all he said would be a good asset. She did have a lot extra money to hire someone new, now that Graham had passed.

Emma nodded, "Alright, sounds good." She looked at Betta and smiled, "Got everything you need?"

The red head nodded, glad to see that she was accepted, and not to be a burden.

_**Mean while... **_

"Murdock, stop your pacing. She will come back, I promise you," Vanessa said, but didn't believe her words.

"Oh? After what happened last night?" Murdock rounded on her, and continued to pace, running his hand down his face. "How could she be so reckless? Where would she go? What would she do? She has no job, no money..."

"Dad, just sit down. You think so little of Betta," Sofia reassured, "if I know my sister is that she isn't anything but determined."

"Determined to be homeless and _stupid_," Vanessa huffed, and Sofia sent her a pointed glare.

"Did you call the Sheriff's office?" Murdock asked his eldest daughter.

"What do you think they're going to do?" She asked him, completely flabbergasted that he wasn't talking about a child. "Sheriff Swan isn't going to go hunt down someone who is over 18 and willingly left home."

"Answer my question, Sofia!"

She growled and crossed her arms, "I did. She's not in."

At that, Murdock stopped pacing and instead turned on his heel and made for the front door, "Then we must go there then! I will not stand around until the precious _Sheriff _answers her damned answer machine!"

"Father!" Lynn ran in front of the door, and stopped him, "You wait home, Sofia and I will go."

Sofia gave her sister a look, but she figured that they going was worlds better than letting their angry father march into the Sheriff's office.

"We'll go, stay here, in case she will come back," Sofia walked over next to Lynn and put her hands on her father's chest and began to push him away from the door.

He grumbled, but turned away and marched to his study, "She isn't coming back..."

He slammed the door behind him, and the two sisters shared a look of concern, because they knew he was right. She wasn't coming back.

But the scoff of their step mother made them look to her, "She is. She is just a child... Nineteen by paper, but 9 by nature..."

Sofia, typically the oldest and the one with the most level mind, did not like Vanessa's tone. She marched over to the woman in purple, and stuck her finger in her face, "I can only imagine this is _your _fault, Vanessa."

"_Do not_ point your fingers at me, young lady!" Vanessa swatted away Sofia's hand.

"_Do not _call me 'young lady', you are nearly as old as I am," Sofia narrowed her eyes at the woman, "If my father wasn't so smitten by your singing that day, he would never have fallen for you, and be oblivious to your gold-digging scheme!"

Slap. Sofia's face had snapped to the side, but she didn't scream or cringe, instead, opened her eyes and gave Vanessa the most deadliest of stares.

"How _dare _you talk to me like that, you bitch!" Vanessa seethed, letting her true nature break the surface.

Sensing the upcoming danger, Lynn came to Sofia's side and began to tug on her shoulder, urging her to go, but the eldest stayed her ground.

This time, instead of a scowl, she smirked at the witch before her, "Just remember, _step-mother..._ You are not in the will. Everything that my father owns, goes to _me._"

Another slap graced her cheek, this time on the other side, and Lynn gasped, putting herself between Sofia and Vanessa in a meek shield.

"Enough!" She called, but the two had their horns drawn, ready to bump heads, "Sofia, come on, we need to see Emma."

Vanessa looked down at Lynn and then back at Sofia with venom in her eyes before turning on her heel and stomping out of the foyer.

**At the Sheriff's Station... **

Betta sat in the desk chair in the office, as Emma began to explain things, such as the cells, the phone, and where everything is.

"I know you can't respond verbally to the calls, Betta," Emma said after a while of explaining where everything is, and then sat down at the edge of the desk. "But you let the answering machine go, and once you hear the message, you either text me, or check it out yourself. Do you have any skills with guns or combat skills?"

Emma watched as Betta flipped to an empty page of her notebook and scribbled something down.

_"I took defensive classes all my life, my dad wanted me to be able to defend yourself. I also have done fencing."_

Emma smiled, "Well, if we had a sword, I'd let you use it. How about a taser?"

Betta cocked her head and thought about it, then nodded.

"Alright, I'll give you a set of cuffs, a taser, and a nightstick. Maybe one day I'll take you out to learn how to shoot," She smiled and then looked over at the phone, noticing a light was going off. "Looks like we have our first call."

Before Emma could do it, Betta reached out and pressed the blinking light, and to her horror, she heard the familiar voice of her sister.

_"Sheriff Swan, we have a bit of a dilemma. Our sister... Betta, she ran off. I know she's over 18, but my father wanted me to call anyway. We just want to know if she's okay."_

Emma sighed and looked at Betta, who slumped into her chair, looking at her hands. It still baffled the blonde that a nineteen year old had as much freedom as a preschooler, and she couldn't so much as move out without being questioned or criticized.

Emma picked up the phone in a quick motion and pressed the redial button. To Betta's worried and confused look, she simply said, "I'm telling them that you are with me, and you are fine."

The phone began to ring, and Emma heard the squeak of Betta's chair as she leaned on the desk and bit her nails.

_"Hello?_"

"Hi, this is Sheriff Swan, is this Mrs. Fisher?"

_"Yes, it is. And it is about time you called! My husband is quite devastated!"_

"Well, he doesn't have to worry anymore. Betta is with me; she's fine."

_"Well, that _is _wonderful news. My daughters just left to your station, so they will bring her back ho-"_

"That won't be necessary, Mrs Fisher," Emma cut her off, all too willingly. "Betta is an adult, and she has told me that this is her decision. If she had decided to move out, you cannot do anything about it."

_"Betta is far from mature to be moving out, Sheriff Swan. I don't think that _you_ should be making the decisions for her."_

"I can say the same thing to you, Mrs. Fisher. Betta has made this decision on her own, and I support her."

_"She has no money, no job, no place to say! How could you possibly support that!" _

"Actually, quite the opposite. She has money, she has a job, and she has a place to stay. She is working here with me at the Sheriff's Station, and she will be staying with me and Mary Margaret."

There was a moment of silence, _"Excuse me?_"

Emma, already not liking this woman from the moment she answered the phone, answered back, "You heard me. Betta Fisher is officially an _independent woman_. I just wanted to inform you and your husband that she is safe and well. Have a good day, Mrs. Fisher..."

_"But-"_

Emma hung up the phone, and looked up at Betta, who was grinning uncontrollably. With a hand motions she gave, Emma had assumed that meant 'Thank you'.

"No problem. Just one more problem," Betta tilted her head to the side, "Your sisters are coming down soon...Should be here any minute."

Betta bit her lip in thought, then smiled before she began scribbling once again, "I'lll text them all to meet me at Granny's. I'm going to buy them dinner, now that I have enough money."

Emma smiled and stood up, "Sounds like a plan, am I coming too?"

She gave a hand motion that was clearly, "Duh!"

_**Later that night... **_

Granny's was humming with people, but mainly from a large row of tables pushed together to hold the seven Fisher girls, plus Emma, and Mary Margaret.

"I _still _can't believe you moved out, Bet!" Adrian explained, "That's something I would do!"

Lynn rolled her eyes, "You wouldn't last a week. You'd spend all your money on booze and food, and poor Emma here would have to waste a jail cell for you."

Emma and Mary Margaret smiled as the ring of laughter sounded from the sisters. Betta had said she would be able to afford buying everyone food, but too happy for their sister's newfound freedom and happiness, they all decided to pitch in.

Suddenly, Diana shouted, "Oh! I completely forgot." She reached into her large purse and pulled out a sweater and a notepad, both Emma and Betta recognized. "A boy came to the door earlier today, he wanted to thank you for saving him."

Betta gaped and she took the sweater, now remembering she had forgotten in.

"Derek Prince," Emma said, nodded, "He came to the Station earlier too, asking who that belonged to."

Betta seemed to mouth the name, and looked at the sweater curiously. Emma could have sworn she saw the girl blush, but with the brightness of her hair, she could have been mistaken.

"A boy!?" Brooke squealed, "Why didn't you tell me!"

Diana rolled her eyes, "Because he wasn't a suitor for _you_."

Brooke pouted, and slumped into her chair, "Not yet."

Emma shared an amused look with Mary Margaret, and at that moment, food was put in front of their noses.

Betta was the last person to dig into her meal, since she was far too distracted by the sweater that still faintly smelled like sea salt. With a curl of her lip, she decided to find this Derek Prince. A proper introduction was in order.

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**Well! Next chapter Ariel will be meeting Killian properly this time, as well as a surprise character ;) **

**Happy readings! xoxoxo**


	8. The Bird and The Fish

_**"Ready To Stand"**_

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**Heh, guess you guys are surprised to see this update early? Well, I'm starting to shorten the Storybrooke chapters, because it will mostly be about Derek and Betta, and you'll know how that story go, since it will follow closely to the Little Mermaid story, and the Disney Movie. **

**Hope you enjoy!**

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**Chapter Eight:**

**The Bird and the Fish**

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_**On the Jolly Roger...**_

The repair to the ship was great, but it was doable. They were fixing the masts as Killian woke up late in the morning the next day. Already there had been talk of the mermaid that either saved, or doomed their lives. Many talked of it, but Killian made no comment.

The ship's healer, Connor Steale, had attempted to mend the stump of his wrist last night. Only be able to tourniquet the arm, stitch the tears, and meld wood and steel at the end. It was an exceeding painful process, and Killian was still pale in the face from the amount of energy it took from him just to have it performed.

Turner had said that they would be able to fit him for a faux hand, such as a hook, but it was far too early for it to put in. He said the weight would tear open the wound again.

That damnable crocodile, Killian thought. For every day of his life he will look at his stump, and then his hook, and curse the name Rumpelstiltskin. Though as much as the pain shot through his arm to his elbow to his shoulder, it didn't even compare to the heaviness that was in his heart. He could still see the look upon Milah's face when she looked at him the moment the life was dimmed from her eyes.

With a curl of his lip at the memory, he pushed himself from his cot and carefully put on his coat before marching up to the deck.

"How is process, Bones?" He asked his first mate, trying to mask the agony away form his face.

"Process is good, Capt'n. We will be good to sail on the morrow, if things go our way! The waves were kind to us... She landed us on a shore not too far from the port. Men have been coming and going since last night, purchasing our needs."

"It was not the waves that were kind to us, Bones," Killian walked along the deck, watching his crew hammer away. "A mermaid behind the waves. By the way, how goes the mermaid hunt?"

Bones looked at his captain with uncertain eyes, "It hasn't started, sir. We cannot sail, and mermaids are smart enough not to be around pirate ships."

Killian sighed irritably, "We lost our flag, Bones. We are not much a pirate ship as we were yesterday. Have one of our seamsters to make another one." He stopped walking once he got to the wheel, and leaned against it, "This mermaid, Bones, is not like the others. She saved us, or have you not seen? She was the one that pushed the waves against its nature. We owe her our lives."

By the smirk on his captain's face, Bones knew that he had alterer motives, "Say we do capture this mermaid, Capt'n. How do we keep her? A giant glass box with water?"

"If it comes to that, yes," Kilian looked out to the ocean, seeing a dinghy being rowed in their direction, "Seems like our crew made it back with more supplies." He squinted, seeing something quite out of place, "What is that they have with them?"

_**Ariel's Point of View... **_

I had awoken on the rocks, but instead of peering down at the green tail I've lived with my whole life, was two separate appendages cladded in blue cloth and thick brown around my, er, what was it called?

Feet? Was I wearing shoes?

It was the idea that I was wearing footwear that made me realize just what I was wearing. I was wearing legs, and on those legs, trousers. I mean, I had _legs! _

I let out a silent squeal of delight and surprise and laid flat on my back as I extended my new limbs up in the air to look at them. Never have I ever worn clothes, save for the seashells I wore on my bosom. However, I really wanted to see what my toes looked like. Did they look like fingers? Did they look like worms? How many did I have?

Giggling, I rotated my ankles - I have ankles! - around, then I would spread my legs back and forth, and start kicking the air. I can kick with two, not one, but two!

I decided to try to stand up, which I know would be difficult considering the terrain I laid one didn't even make it easy to lay down on. So I sat up, and held onto the rock, and slowly began to pull myself up. My joints - knees? - ached as if I was a new born ready to walk for the first time. They wobbled, and I nearly collapsed hadn't it been for me holding steady against the rock. My feet slipped against the slickness of the rock, but I didn't give up on trying to stand.

I need to get my land legs.

I smiled at that thought. _Legs. _I have legs!

In my excitement, I slipped, sliding down the rock and landing painfully on my bottom. It was then that I saw a small row boat heading in my direction.

This would be my first interaction with humans as a human, and I didn't want to miss an opportunity. And besides, I had legs, and no means of getting to shore. I suppose I could swim, but I just got these appendages, and have no idea how strong they are in comparison to a mertail.

I flung my arms in the air and opened my mouth to shout... But nothing came out. At first I panicked, thinking that something was wrong, but then I was sorely reminded of the trade I made for these legs.

A groaned silently, because that's all I could really do, was be silent. They didn't see me, they were too busy rowing their boat. I decided a different approach; if my throat could not make a sound, the world around me surely would.

I picked up a few large rocks, and began to fling them into the ocean in their direction. However, the crash of the waves were drowning the sounds, and the men were about to row right passed me.

I took one small rock, and flung it in frustration, opening my mouth in an empty scream. This rock skidded across the surface a few times and then landed right in the boat.

A giant grin plastered onto my face when I saw their curious faces turn to the direction the rock came from. I flung my arms in the air and waved at them.

I saw from a distance, one of the men stand up and point a finger at me, looking at the other one, and then going back to his seat and rowing towards the rocks where I stood. The closer they got, the better I got a good look at them.

One of them a dark skinned human, with a scar running down a clouded eye, and a thin braid on the only place he had hair, his chin. The other, I remember from the ocean, during the storm. I saved him, did I not?

He was black haired, and balding at his widow's peak, a large nose and a mouth full of gold, silver, and wooden teeth. I recognized him by the shirt he wore, which was red and white striped, with a funny black stain on the right breast.

Seeing as I could not voice my thanks, I placed my hands together and smiled gratefully. However, my smile slowly vanished when the dark-skinned man chuckled, and pulled out a thick rope.

"Hold her still, Mallory. I don't want no trouble on the way back to the Jolly Roger," His voice was deep and threatening as he watched my stunned figure with his a black eye, and the other a dead grey.

"Right, Eyeball," Stammered the man I saved. He climbed on the rock, and just when I got my senses back, and tried to get away, he grabbed my wrists. I knew then how strong human legs were, and mine weren't that strong. "Sorry, little fish-girl, but the Capt'n wanted us to bag him a mermaid, and a mermaid he's gettin'," He tied the rope tightly around my wrist as I struggled against him and the other one named Eyeball.

"By the way, thank ya kindly for saving my behind back there; wish I could repay you, but! duty is duty," he chuckled grossly and I just gave him a revolted look.

"She sure is quite," Eyeball observed, "Do mermaids talk?"

"Uhh," Mallory paused, running his sausage fingers over his stubble, "Dunno! I know they sing! They should talk?"

Eyeball grunted, "Just put her in the boat, I'm sure Capt'n Jones will know."

_**On the Jolly Roger... **_

"Capt'n!" Bellowed the deep voice of one of his crewmen on the dinghy heading their way. He held something in his arm, in a vice grip. A thin pale arm belonging to a red headed lass.

Killian sighed and rubbed his forehead, "Eyeball, what did I tell you about kidnapping whores?"

"She ain't no whore, sir!" Mallory came up behind him, struggling with supplies. "That's the mermaid! She saved me life, and there is no doubt that's her head of hair!"

The captain of the Jolly Roger rolled his eyes and marched to meet them, "Mallory, you are thick. As a requirement for a mermaid, she must have a tail, and this girl-" he grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. He cut himself off as he found himself trapped in her turquoise eyes, wide and teary eyed, but they were unmistakably the Mermaid's. "Is a mermaid..."

The girl looked at him just as startled as he was, but less confused and more relieved.

"What happened to your tail, mermaid?"

She opened her mouth, then closed it. Killian sighed, and repeated the question, but all she could do was shake her head.

"Look, darling, It's no great task, just tell me how you got rid of that pretty tail of yours," Killian put the charm on and then motioned for Eyeball to release her. He did so, and the red head rubbed her sore wrist.

She kind of gave him a sad smile, and then put her hand to her throat, and opened her mouth. At first Killian was confused, but the more she indicated at her throat, he realized that she could not speak. He set his jaw, and turned to the two who found her.

"Where did you find her?"

"At the rocks just near the port. She was wavin' at us, but not screamin'," Mallory explained. "Don't think mermaids can talk."

"They talk fine," Killian growled, recalling his experiences with mermaids in his past. He turned back to her, who was biting her lip and still rubbing her arm. "Tell me, darling, is your loss for words have to do something with your loss of tail as well?"

She blinked, wide eyed that, but smiled small and nodded.

She seemed to be no special mermaid, and only certain mers of the ocean were capable of magic that could turn to different species, or forms. The only logical conclusion was that she gave up her voice, by why? If her voice was stolen, she wouldn't have been clothed and on land, she would just be left to rot, and not bother to give her legs.

"And... did this have anything to do with a certain man, who is known making deals, and playing with _magic_?"

This time she wasn't as excited about her answer as before. Biting her lip she looked slightly guilty when she nodded, albeit reluctantly.

"Blast that crocodile," Killian cursed and began to pace. He must have known more about the mermaid and his meeting, and Killian's plans for the mermaid, as well as the lost magic bean.

If she could not talk, she surely cannot sing. Then what use of her was she to him? Regardless, she was still a mermaid, and she knew the waters better than any sailor or pirate.

"Eyeball, take her to my quarters, and lock the doors- make sure she doesn't escape," Killian was still pacing, clutching his stumped arm to his chest. "I need to think things through, and figure out what we're going to do with her."

"Aye, Capt'n," The mermaid-now-human, gave a pitiful worried look at him, and one at eyeball as he gripped her wrist once again, and began hauling her towards the docked ship.

_**Ariel's Point of View... **_

I began to regret every decision I made starting the day I helped that ship off the course of daddy's storm. I should have listened to my father and stayed away - they were pirates! The smell, the look, the missing eyes and limbs, the greedy stares and the discomforting looks they gave me as the one called Eyeball pushed and pulled and shoved me around. He practically flung me over the banister of the ship.

After being rushed under the ship's deck, I was shoved into a large room with large windows. They were broken, but being repaired by a young boy.

"Make sure she doesn't escape, kid," Eyeball told him roughly, and slammed the door shut. After a second, the door locking could be heard, as well as heavy retreating footsteps.

"Uh, alrigh'," came the boy's delayed answer.

I looked around, noting it was a complete mess, likely from the storm. Glass, splintered wood, parchment, black ink, and bottles were thrown all over the place.

"'Ello?" The child, who had to be about twelve, thirteen years old, hopped down from his stool and peered up at me. "Are you alrigh'? What's yer name?"

I opened my mouth to answer, yet another time I had forgotten that I couldn't talk. I gave him a sad smile, and lifted my shoulders.

"Don't know it, eh?"

I shook my head, and placed a hand on my throat, and began signaling him the same I did with the Captain.

"Ooohh! Can't talk, hm," he looked around in the mess of the room and ran to one side, and took a half spilt bottle of ink, and a random piece of parchment. "Can ya write? Write yer name?"

I could write my name in the common tongue, but not the whole language. I was only ever taught to write in mermish, but considering this was the only offered solution of communication, I would have to try to learn.

He placed the ink, a quill, and the parchment on the desk, which I sat at, and I began to scribble my name.

"Air-ree-ell. Ariel," The boy read slowly. "That's a pretty name! Nice t'meet ya, Ariel, m'names Sparrow, Jack Sparrow. Don't be forgettin' that name any time soon, savvy?"

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******Oh, snap, I bet you didn't see that coming, now did you?**

**Truth be told, I WAS going to make the kid Peter Pan, but then the rumours of Neal being Peter Pan, or the appearance of peter pan in the third season, and just to make sure, I didn't want to mess up canon. **

**Also- POTC WAS based off of a ride in Disney World, but they did make a prequel book series about Jack as a Teenager. Now, this doesn't follow the books, since it takes place when he was 16, and in here he is a preteen, so I wont be overlapping his stories, I hope. In the tenth chapter, it will explain how he ended up on the Jolly Roger, and all that. **

**Happy Readings xoox**

**ps. I'll post more casting names next chapter. **


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